COVER Citroen C4 Cactus
Crossover is turned into ‘conventional’ family hatch for 2018
THE Citroen C4 Cactus has been given a mid-life facelift, three years after the company’s funky compact crossover first landed at the 2014 Geneva Motor Show.
Gone is the car’s distinctive, Airbump-plastered SUV look, replaced by more conventional hatchback styling. A fresh face, new cabin comforts and more powerful engines are also on the menu, as is Citroen’s latest suspension technology.
The refreshed design marks a departure from the original’s chunky appearance. This new C4 Cactus steps more towards a standard family hatchback in terms of how it looks, as the brand intends to place more distance between its ‘normal’ cars and its new Aircross range of crossovers and SUVS.
With the arrival of the toned-down C4 Cactus, Citroen will finally call time on the regular C4 hatchback. Product planning boss Xavier Peugeot told Auto Express that the C4 would go out of production “soon”, explaining: “The current C4 is already nearly seven years old, so you understand that we had to make a decision, and C4 Cactus will take the lead.”
Inspiration
Project designer Thierry Hospitel says that 80 per cent of the car’s panels are new. The front end takes heavy inspiration from its smaller C3 stablemate. A new chrome strip and badge complement tweaked headlamps with LED daytime running lights, and there’s less plastic cladding on the nose.
Citroen has really pared back those Airbump panels. The soft plastic elements are now much more discreet, lining the car’s bottom edges rather than sitting high up on the doors and hatch lid. The new tailgate is cleaner in appearance than before, with a restyled bumper and horizontal tail-lamps. Slightly shorter front and rear overhangs give a more compact look than before.
In contrast to the exterior shake-up, the cabin is virtually unchanged, retaining its spacious feel and horizontal lines. However, Citroen claims the car is more comfortable than its predecessor, thanks to a thicker, high-density foam in the Advanced Comfort seats. It should be quieter, too, due to extra sound insulation and thicker windows.
This will be the first European-market Citroen to make use of new Progressive Hydraulic Cushion suspension tech. The system adds two hydraulic stops in place of the usual single mechanical set-up. Citroen claims it better dissipates energy when hitting bumps, keeping the car flat and improving ride quality.
Other tech on the refreshed C4 Cactus includes auto emergency braking, traffic-sign recognition, and a driver-attention warning system paired with a coffee-break alert. Blindspot monitoring, park assist and a reversing camera linked to the seven-inch infotainment touchscreen will be available, too, as will Android Auto and Apple Carplay.
Under the bonnet, the model will continue with the same set of three-cylinder petrol and four-cylinder diesel engines, as well as two new range-toppers. The first is a Puretech 130 turbo linked to a six-speed manual box, delivering 128bhp. It’ll sit above the 110 and entry-level 82 Puretech options. The Bluehdi 100 diesel will be joined by a more powerful auto-only Bluehdi 120 later on.
Final UK specs have still to be finalised, but the first facelifted cars are expected to arrive in showrooms in early 2018.
“Shorter front and rear overhangs give the Cactus a more compact look”